The present disclosure generally relates to a front end structure for a vehicle, and particularly relates to a front end structure for a vehicle having a duct member defining a duct passage to a vehicle's radiator and at least one duct opening defined in the duct member for supplementing air flow to the radiator.
All vehicles are being pushed to increase aerodynamics and/or fuel economy. Presently, the open area through a vehicle's front facia, which is often used for cooling, has a large negative impact on vehicle aerodynamics. Accordingly, there is a constant push to reduce the total amount of open area on vehicles and thereby increase aerodynamics and improve fuel economy. Unfortunately, this usually has negative impacts to engine cooling.
In view of the foregoing, a bottom breather duct is sometimes employed, which can generally reduce the amount of open facia area required for air flow to the radiator while still providing an air flow to the radiator. In particular, a bottom breather application allows air to be pulled in from the bottom of the vehicle, resulting in less drag. An example of a bottom breather application is the provision of an air inlet opening disposed on an underside of the vehicle and a duct passageway formed from the air inlet to the radiator so that air flow entering the inlet can flow to the radiator for cooling thereof.
Ducting from the underside of the vehicle has proven to significantly increase the efficiency of air entering the vehicle, but such ducting is not without its drawbacks in conventional front end structures. More particularly, there is sometimes a problem with such ducting in that insufficient air flow from the bottom ducting sometimes occurs to the radiator.